Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has announced details about how farmers can continue their participation in the Green, Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS) for 2022.
Farmers with GLAS 1, 2 or 3 contracts, which will expire on December 31, 2021 are being offered an extension of one year (i.e. to December 31, 2022).
The minister said today (Monday, November 15): “My department has now issued information packs to current active participants in GLAS, including an offer to extend their contracts and the ways in which they may apply by the deadline of December 10, 2021.
The process will be similar to that undertaken last year.
“I was encouraged to see the number of participants who extended their GLAS contracts for this year, as it meant that the provision of environmental benefits continued to accrue during the transitional period before the new CAP while farmers also had continuity of income,” Minister McConalogue said.
“Securing these crucial farm payments was a key priority of mine. It was important to deliver income security to these farmers in GLAS as we transition between CAP programmes,” he added.
As an extension is being offered for a number of schemes, the department is proposing to issue offers on a sequential basis.
“My department has endeavoured to make the process to extend as straightforward as possible, with a few options available for submission of application.
“A key point is that actions undertaken under GLAS continue on January 1, 2022 so farmers may now wish to consider whether to avail of the offer and be in position to reply upon receipt of the offer,” the minister advised.
An information pack was posted to participants on Wednesday (November 10, 2021), conveying the offer to extend and the ways in which they may apply, and also providing current details of their GLAS contract and circulars summarising changes to the relevant terms, conditions and specifications.
Key details confirmed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine today are:
- Farmers with GLAS 1, 2 or 3 contracts which will expire on December 31, 2021 are being offered an extension of one year (i.e. to December 31, 2022);
- The updated versions of the relevant terms, conditions and specifications for each Tranche are accessible on the department’s website;
- There will be two ways in which participants may apply to extend their contract:
- By text message: A text message will issue first to each participant who is registered with the department to receive texts, giving the option to reply ‘DAFM Y’ (for Yes) or ‘DAFM N’ (for No). Participants will have 72 hours (three days) from receipt of the text message to reply. Participants will already have received this text message and are encouraged to respond soon;
- Applications may also be submitted by applicant or agent by logging on to agfood.ie – to go live this Thursday (November 18, 2021) – and choosing wither ‘yes’ or ‘no’;
- Closing date for receipt of responses will be December 10, 2021.